Despite the large magnitude of the injury problem, limited attention has been paid to it, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This manual contributes to overcoming the shortfall in reliable and valid injury information by providing a methodology for collecting injury data in the community that is robust, reproducible and relatively easy. Its use would help in making the burden of injuries more visible as a public health problem. It therefore contributes to the first two steps of the public health approach in defining the size of the problem in the community and some of the risk factors.